Vertebroplasty is a technique according to which biocompatible material is injected into a spongy vertebra. After some time, the injected material hardens, whereby an inner support is obtained for fixing the vertebra and thereby alleviate pain and reduce the risk of vertebral collapse.
The material is injected into the vertebra through a needle and in doing so, it is necessary to subject the material to high pressure, often one or more MPa. Hereby, there is an obvious risk that tissue material, e.g. blood and fat, in the vertebra is pressed out into the blood vessels or into fracture gaps such that said material can affect adjacent nerves. There is also an obvious risk that the injected material is pressed out into fracture gaps or into adjacent tissue. This is well known and the material and fat being pressed out can reach the blood vessels and the lungs, resulting in a poorer oxygenation, blood pressure reduction and, in exceptional cases, death.
By inserting an extra needle into the vertebra, the risk of leakage (note publications in the enclosed reference list, point 1 and 2, in the end of the description). Normally, this extra needle is left open or preferably connected to a suction hose for generating a suction effect (note publication in the enclosed reference list, point 3). However, any decisive effect is not reached with the prior art.
Various hole making and rinsing devices for making holes in and rinsing of vertebrae are known from e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 6,440,138, U.S. Pat. No. 6,716,216, U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,761 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,740,090, but none of these publications describes generation of a vacuum in the vertebrae for providing safe suction of bone substitute and/or bone reinforcing material into said vertebrae.